Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, Jun 30: The policemen fired four rounds at a gang of sand mafia goons, who posed danger to their lives on Sunday June 29. The mafia reportedly tried to pose danger to the policemen by unloading sand in the tipper on the police jeep.

The gang however, succeeded in heaping the load of sand in the middle of the road before fleeing. The incident occurred on Sunday morning at Mookampare in the district, and police investigation has been launched to nab the culprits involved.

The police, who were tipped off about unrestricted transportation of sand into the state from Karnataka during nights, were waiting at Perla check post. Their team was led by trainee assistant superintendent of police, Dr Himendranath. They saw a car that was sent as an escort for a tipper truck carrying sand, passing the area at high speed. The car was followed thereafter, by a tipper loaded with sand, which did not stop even after the police signalled it to do so. The policemen followed the truck, but the tipper did not allow the police jeep to overtake it, and took narrow inner roads.

Soon, the escort car paved way for the truck to move ahead, so that the police jeep trailed the car. When the police jeep tried to overtake the sand-laden tipper, those inside the truck tried to immediately unload the sand on the jeep and endanger the lives of the policemen. The policemen fired at those in the truck, which by then unloaded sand on the road and fled away. The truck and the car then escaped in different directions, and the police are searching for both.

It is gathered that sand from Karnataka is being transported without any break during nights into Kerala, in spite of restrictions in place in both the places.